Liberty House Page 4

  A wide grin spread across Matt's face.

  They both moved that way, unnoticed by the family, who were all engrossed in conversation. Even the children were watching and laughing along. Those children sure loved all their older siblings.

  "So, are the rumors true, Jesse? You're sweet on Clara?" asked Tommy while finishing up the meal and grinning like a girl with no worries.

  "Oh, you think I'd tell you, sis?" Jesse replied.

  "Oh, I think Tommy would be okay with it," Jerry stated.

  "Actually, that's what I'm afraid of here."

  "Hey, I'll have a say in the girl you marry," Tommy told him.

  "Yeah, well I want to have a say too and not let my sis take over."

  "Oh, I see. Fine. Have it your way. I won't pick out a great girl for you."

  "I'll let you."

  Folding her arms, Tommy faced Jesse directly, "Under what conditions?"

  "What?" he held his arms up in defense. "You believe I would want something in return for your work of finding me a bride?" He acted totally serious, but his eyes gave him away.

  Tommy looked like she was about to burst at the seams from laughing so hard. Then she finally said, “Cough it up, bro."

  "I get to do the same."

  "That's all well. You've got a deal. But it better be Mr. Prince Charming or no deal." She took a taste of whatever she was cooking that smelled so good.

  "Man, can't compete with Prince Charming, now can y’all."

  "Nope," Tommy said cheerfully. Seeming satisfied with the stew, she lifted the kettle and handed it to the nearest person. Cole received it with a smile. She must've thought it was someone else, and she didn't look up in his face. She just walked back to the kitchen, saying, "Put this on the table, Mr. Prince-Charming." Cole took it and did as he was told.

  The room fell silent, which didn't happen often. The children had their mouth covered from laughing. "What?" Tommy asked in confusion. Then she saw Cole standing there and realized her mistake. She covered her blushing cheeks with her hands and tried not to laugh, but Cole saw how she felt.

  "Are you laughing at me, Miss Starry?"

  "No, really. I didn't know it was you."

  He knew she had to be telling the truth because she didn't fancy him calling her Miss Starry; no one called her Miss Starry. "I have been called many things but never Prince Charming, and now by a lady that is laughing at me."

  "No. I'm not," she covered her mouth with her hands, trying to hold in the laughter. "I thought I was talking to Maverick."

  "And also, by a lady that is lying. It's disgraceful," Cole teased. He noticed every time he called her lady her eyes got wider.

  "I thought you were Maverick." Some of her laughter died down.

  "So, you told me."

  "And I want it out before Susan notices a pot on the table."

  "Oh, now I understand. You were hiding your sin and it found you out," he joked.

  "I also don't have a dish to put it in."

  "What happened to it?"

  "I get mad sometimes." She half grinned. "And take it out on the dishes."

  "I wish I did that. I just take it out on people. But my sister breaks dishes too." He smiled. "And guess who gets to clean up the mess?"

  "Her poor, innocent brother?"

  "Her only brother.” He smiled at her before asking, “So, what were you mad about?" He thought he knew, but doubted she would tell him.

  "I enjoy keeping my family on the edge by getting mad about Princ-" she smiled at him. She knew what she almost said. "About my new guardian." She leaned closer. “But don't tell them. I would hate to lose my reputation."

  "Oh, now that's important. It'll be our secret, ma'am." He tipped his hat.

  She turned away, and Cole knew why--to hide her blush.

  Cole didn't miss it, and her eyes got wider when he called her ma'am. He decided he liked that look. And that blush--it was cute.

  They sat down, and the meal went well, though it was a little hot. No one mentioned the incident, probably because they knew Tommy was trying to work out with Cole staying there the best she could. They all loved her for trying.

  Cole thought the house was nice. It was the biggest house anyone owned out of the family, besides Owen and Ellen's house, so most of the holidays and parties were here. He had yet to even see the whole house. He'd have liked to see more of Tommy’s paintings. Matt had some in the sheriff's office, and all the boys had at least a few drawings at their homes. Would it be rude to ask to see a tour of the home? He didn’t know. Not many people came to his house, except for family, children, and friends that were family. His house wasn't like anyone else's house. He decided to ask if he could check out the house to see if any intruder could come in. Maverick, however, knew the place, so he doubted it held any danger.

  Finally, he decided to explore the house without asking anyone's permission. On the second floor, he found Tommy in what looked like a painting room. The walls all hung with drawings or paintings, all different kinds. She sat in front of an easel, drawing what looked like the beginning of a horse running.

  She didn’t hear him enter, so he turned his gaze to her. Her face was concentrating on the drawing and sported an adorable smudge of pencil lead on her cheek. He smiled, seeing her blonde hair pulled back in a bun at her neck. She was wearing an older tan-colored skirt and what looked like one of her brother's shirts, probably just to be comfortable. He wondered if this was the place where Tommy got away to hide from the stress of life? Or was it her horses? He smiled. "So, this is where you hide away?"

  She looked up in surprise and smiled back. "Yup. What do you think?"

  Was that search for approval he saw in her eyes? "Beautiful. You have talent."

  "You like art?"

  "I do. I don't have much in my house in Texas. You don't see art like this often." He saw he pleased her with that response.

  "Would you like to see a tour of my humble art room?"

  "I would be delighted."

  She set down her pencil and stood next to him. He got out a handkerchief and wiped her cheek, which turned a sweet shade of pink. "You got lead on your cheek," he drawled charmingly.

  "Oh!" She looked at her hands. "Oh! I never notice the lead. I get so used to it on my hands." She wiped her hands awkwardly, then turned to the table, poured water into a bowl, and washed her hands.

  "It's alright." He didn't want her to feel bad. She smelled like the spices she cooked with. He kinda liked it. She also smelled like the cinnamon she always put in her coffee. He liked her coffee. Izzy put cocoa or caramel in her coffee. He liked cinnamon.

  She wiped her hands on a rag then turned back to Cole. "So, would you like to see it now that I am cleaner?"

  "I would," he said. "Lead the way, Miss Tommy."

  She started by the wall closest to the door and showed him the pictures of her brothers, sisters, Ellen, and Owen, Missy and Ben, and all the children first. She smiled as she described how she did the work. Of how she drew it, of what people said. Cole noticed her eyes light up when she spoke about the memories behind the painting or drawing. He asked questions and commented when needed. He could tell she loved them; they were the sunshine of her life, the reason she lived through this kind of life. He prayed she would get freedom in her life so she could live that one day.

  Then the last wall featured the art of her horses, dogs, and landscapes. Some of the other paintings included horses but now it was just a horse alone or in a herd. The dogs were the same-some alone or together.

  He sensed with every one of the pictures the memories behind them. Some showed the orphanage with Pedro, a few without Jesse, of childhood. Cole stopped at one painting, studying the sad children's faces and rows of beds in a plain room with a dirt floor. A madam in the doorway looking like she was going to call out to them. It was so alive; he could feel the children's fear and see the hunger in their eyes. "Is that what your orphanage was like growing up?"

  She shrugged, "Kinda. We
got beat, but it wasn't the worst one. The one we grew up in got shut down by some mission."

  "You paint and draw with memories, good and bad."

  She nodded. "You never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

  "Wise words." Cole gazed at the many paintings and finally asked what he'd wanted to ask the entire time. "How much do you sell a piece for, if you don't mind me asking?"

  "It depends on where I sell it. I never had training or teaching in the art, so they don't sell as much. I don't really care about money. I just love to do it."

  "I can tell. You can sell ‘em for a high price even without training."

  "I only sell the ones of horses, landscape, and such, not any with us in them."

  "That's understandable. But people asked for pictures of y'all?"

  "Yes. But I won't give ‘em unless they’re close friends of the family.”

  Cole nodded, "Hey, you mind showin’ me around just to see things and see if intruders could get into the house?"

  "Of course." She got up. "Sorry I didn't offer to show you around. Honestly, not many people come here." She added, "Actually, no one does but you."

  "Oh, I hear you. Same at my house, at least strangers. Most of my friends come and go from my house."

  "Really? I thought you being wealthy all kinds of strangers would come."

  "Not really." Cole cleared his throat. "People don't come over often, even though my sisters are very hospitable."

  "Do you miss ‘em when you come here?"

  "I do. Especially Annie and Izzy. But we’re rarely in Texas at the same time anyhow."

  "Are you close to your sisters?"

  "I am. Not so much Amy.” He rolled his eyes. “But that's a different story."

  "I see.” Tommy nodded. “Us being orphans, we all have stories like that."

  "I bet y'all do."

  She walked out with him and showed him the house. Her room was on the second floor across from the painting room. On the main floor, she had two guest rooms, one that Jesse and Cole would sleep in. It held two beds, two small dressers, desks, and a nightstand with a washstand on it. It wasn't big, but it was comfortable. She had another room, but it was small and for storage for all the family things.

  They moved out to the common room, and she sat on the couch across from Jesse and Cole. "Cole, you will sleep in the guest bedroom with Jesse. Watch out, he snores," she teased.

  "I do not. You do."

  "You do too." Tommy folded her arms.

  "I do not." Jesse looked like he was getting flustered.

  "I slept with you on the train."

  Now Jesse's face turned red under his dark skin. "When?"

  "On the train. Remember the cold in Montgomery? We all huddled together to keep warm."

  A shadow passed over his face. "Yeah, and it was so wet."

  "All right, I'm turning in," Tommy said. "Jesse, make sure Cole's comfortable. Good night."

  "Night, Sugah," Jesse said sweetly.

  "Good night, Miss Tommy."

  "Good night. And it's Tommy." She headed up the ladder.

  "Can she get down any other way?" Cole asked when she disappeared.

  "Who, Tommy? No. There’s a window but she can't get out of it. Why’re you asking?"

  "Just wonderin’." It bothered him that she couldn't get out of her room, so he tried to think of a plan. As they got ready for bed, Cole asked about the backroom, "What's back there, Jesse?"

  "Oh that. It's where the family puts their junk."

  "Is it big?"

  "Not really. Why?"

  "Just thinking of some ideas," Cole stated.

  Chapter Four

  The next morning when Cole and Jesse came in from taking care of the horses, he smelled a wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. Everyone had to admit the Starry women could cook.

  "What's for breakfast, sis?" asked Jesse.

  "Just grits and bread," Tommy answered.

  "Annie makes great grits."

  "Better than mine? I think not," Tommy told him.

  "Oh, I'll have to see. It's hard to compete with Annie's cookin'."

  "Is it? Well, you'll have to see." She then turned back to cooking the meal.

  About a half-hour later, they all ate breakfast together--grits and fresh bread. After Jesse prayed, Cole watched Tommy as he tried her famous grits. She was looking for his approval. He could see it meant a lot to her, so even though they were just almost as good as Annie's, he said they were awesome. He knew to see her smile it was worth telling her they were the best he ever tasted.

  Her hair was normally up, but today she had it down with the front pulled back. The rest hung down her back in waves. She looked beautiful. He hoped she wore it down the whole day; it looked great that way. Her dress was a light green with pink flowers on it.

  No one heard the door open, but suddenly Sawyer appeared in the kitchen. He nodded to Cole and whispered, "Tommy's grits ain't as good as Annie's." He grinned his approval. Before Cole could respond, Sawyer turned to Tommy.

  "Hey, stranger." Tommy stood and walked toward Sawyer. When she was in front of him, she slammed her fist against his chest. "Don't ever leave without saying goodbye again." Cole knew Sawyer had a habit of leaving while not telling anyone, but Tommy worried about him when he left without a word. Ellen was always getting after him for leaving without telling anyone.

  "Sorry, Sugah." He took her into his arms. They stayed like that for a while. Seemed they had missed each other a lot. Cole felt jealousy rising in him, but he knew they had known each other most of their lives. Sawyer knew her better than the family. Brown-eyed and red hair, Sawyer was her best friend and closest sibling. "Come eat," Tommy ordered and led him to the table.

  "Yes, ma'am." He sat down next to her. "I can see some things don't change. Susan, you're still not eating her famous grits."

  "I'm from the north. Some things I can endure but not grits." Susan nibbled her toast.

  "We'll make a southerner out of you yet," Tommy told her.

  "Oh, yeah. Y'all love the south," she said sarcastically.

  "I've found I like northern food, but nothin' can compare to a southern woman's cookin," Cole drawled.

  Tommy loved Andrew and Katrina's little cabin. They had been married nearly four years and were still as in love as the day they married. They were both Irish slaves owned by Maverick’s father, then bought and set free when they went to live with the Starry family. Maverick and Andrew were known as the ‘Yankee Brothers.’ Maverick was the brains and Andrew as the muscles.

  Katrina had lived most of her childhood with Missy and Ben. She was known as “the gentle one,” who would listen to their problem no matter what they were.

  Andrew had stayed at the Starrys until he built his cabin close to the gulf. He loved his job as a fisherman and blacksmith in town, Daphne, when he could get the work.

  As Tommy sat at the table with Katrina, she sipped her coffee before saying, "I just feel like my house has been invaded by Cole and Susan."

  Katrina nodded, knowing how invaded she could feel. "When I feel myself falling back into my past life and not trusting, I ask God to help me."

  "Does praying help?" Tommy asked simply. She personally hadn't experienced prayer to help, but she respected her family's faith.

  Katrina nodded. "I still struggle, but God is the only One that can make the difference. I give my fears to Him every day." She looked down at the peach roll she had made. "That is getting so hard right now."

  Tommy felt selfish. She had been whining again, and Katrina had her own struggles. She touched her hand. "I’m sorry. How you doin', Kat?"

  Katrina didn't look at her. "I just want a baby so bad. I feel like maybe God is judging me for not blessing me with a little one." She sighed and looked at Tommy. "Or maybe I would be a bad mother. I never had a good one besides Ellen and Missy. Maybe He is protecting my children."

  "Kat, that is not true at all. We don't know why you haven't been bles
sed yet."

  "Just sometimes I get angry because Gloria and Jerry have been courting so long, they could be on their second child."

  Tommy looked at her in surprise. Katrina knew why Gloria wasn't married to Jerry yet. It was about having children. Gloria struggled with being intimate because of childhood abuse. "You know why, and children would not help Gloria if she is not ready."

  Katrina sighed. "I know that, but I feel Andrew is discontent with me."

  "That couldn't be farther from the truth, and you know it. Andrew loves you to the ends of the earth." She paused. "You thought about adoptin'?" She smiled. "Ellen could help you out there."

  Katrina nodded. "I have thought a lot about it, but I wouldn't want my child to grow up like the Starry children. They, we had no friends, no church, no parties. We had nothing other children have."

  Tommy knew Kat's words to be true; none of them had any of those things. "They have us, and they have our love."

  Katrina nodded. "I have talked with Ellen about…" She stopped when the door opened, and Hunter ran in.

  "Katrina, Tommy, come on," Hunter said, excitedly.

  Tommy gave Katrina a reassuring smile, and they followed him out to the barn. She found all the children there, even the little boys who were rarely with them.

  Travis, the oldest of the Starry children at twelve years old, looked like his father with dark, black hair and dark eyes. He was big for his age and looked every inch of the Italian he was.

  Charity was very mature at the age of ten. She helped with her younger siblings a great deal. She looked like the image of her mother, Ellen, with the same dark, wavy hair, and the same hazel eyes. She was tall for her age.

  Johnathan, their youngest tummy child at the age of five, looked like a younger version of his brother. He was a sweet boy, always caring for others.

  Hunter was the oldest at the age of twelve of the Johnson parents, who had passed away from the fever years ago. They all lived with Ellen and Owen. Hunter had lived at the Silkwood since the day he was born. He hadn't been born into slavery, though his parents had been. He had short, curly, black hair and dark eyes. He was also the same height as his brother and best friend, Travis. They loved to work and play together as the brothers they were raised as.